All the small things
by the-kermit-kid
Summary: It's always the small things that add up to something big, and stubborn Lily Evans surely could not have changed her opinion on him overnight. My version of one-shot drabbles about everyone's favorite couple
1. Exams and work

**Hello! It's me again! I know I've been gone for a while now and I'm sorry, I know it's really bad. I have just started my final year at university and they've piled on so much work already. I've still got quite a bit to do, but I'm taking a night off to write this for you. It is as a celebration for finishing and handing in the first draft of my dissertation - which took me all summer to write!**

**When I was "away" I got a few ideas for future stories and one-shots so I wrote them down and hopefully, you'll be getting more from me in the future. Considering I'm a bit swamped, if I manage to upload once a week, I'll be happy :-) **

**As ever, I have to declare that I do not own JK Rowling's material. I would not have killed as many awesome characters if I was her.**

**Ps: thought you'd be interested to know about one of my Italian assignments this week - have to write a 300 word story (in Italian) about a pet - I've picked a rat... ;-)**

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**Exams and work**

**_"A Counter-Jinx is a type of counter-spell that ends the effect of a jinx. It differs from an anti-jinx in that an anti-jinx is intended to _****prevent****_ those effects rather than _****remove****_ them…"_**

"You're _still_ working Evans?"

Lily didn't even bother lowering her book. She didn't need to. She would only see very messy black hair, followed by a pair of mischievous hazel eyes, and then the cockiest smirk she could have ever have imagined; and she knew exactly whose they belonged to.

"Go away James. Can't you see she's trying to work?"

She could imagine the picture in her head now. Alice Prewett would have her hands on her hips and be giving a scowl towards a certain James Potter. She only scowled at people when a) she was incredibly stressed and b) the problem was about anything _but_ her. Lily could then imagine Potter giving an almost confused look at Alice.

"Why would she want to do that?"

"Maybe it's because we've got the exam tomorrow?"

Potter let out a low chuckle. Lily could imagine him casually shrugging his shoulders. Like the bloody smug prat he is. But even though she could _feel _the arrogance coming from him like an aura and wanted so much to give him a whack over the head with her book and wipe _that look_ that she hated so much off his face, she kept her head in her book and refused to acknowledge him.

**_A Defensive Charm is a spell used to defend the caster from other attacks…"_**

"So? Come on Evans, lighten up. Come and play Exploding Snap with us."

"Prongs, leave it, she's not listening. Besides, you should be studying too. She's only setting a good example." said Remus Lupin, probably in one of the armchairs the so-called Marauders have taken priority over in the common room, and the floor around him stacked with quills, ink and notes like Lily was only until an hour ago until she had the sense to make it sort-of neat.

Lily let out a small smile and was incredibly close to giggling and giving her game away. She had always admired Remus more so than the other three Marauders put together. Whilst the other three were loud and always getting into trouble, Remus was a lot more quiet and reserved. She could never quite understand though that he was often the mastermind behind the execution of the Marauder's pranks. The two of them often studied together, which was becoming more and more often since Severus was choosing to study with his Slytherin friends. Lily's face fell behind her book. She couldn't lie about the fact she hated his new friends, but there was no way she can let that get in the way of her work…. If this certain arrogant toe-rag didn't get there first that is.

"But Moony!" moaned a certain Sirius Black, likely sprawled out lazily across his armchair. "It's DADA, it's a piece of piss! And it's not like Evans isn't clever enough to know everything any-"

"She has to actually work though to get good grades. We can't all be like you guys and come out with Os without trying." Marlene McKinnon would have a glare to rival Alice's, staring right into Sirius' face.

"But it's DADA doll, it's easy!"

"Not to everyone. You never harass Peter like this when he needs help."

"But Pete's Pete. No offense mate"

Peter Pettigrew stayed quiet, apart from turning over a piece of parchment (probably Remus'). Lily often felt sorry for the poor boy seeing as he had to put up with… those two all day. If she wasn't in the middle of an 'I'm not listening to you Potter' cover, she would happily drop her book, walk over to him and give him a hug for keeping silent; unlike some people. Even her friend's comments were driving her up the edge.

"Prongs, Padfoot, I said leave it! It's not worth it!"

"But if we can do it, surely she can too, she is clever enough even without all the work." Potter plonked himself next to Lily on the sofa. The only sounds apart from his voice were the crackle of the fire and the scratching sound of quills on parchment and the turning of pages.

"Come on Evans, you've been working on that all day! You've been working for your OWLs all bloody year, let alone all month or all week! You look bloody awful too; I know you haven't been getting enough sleep. Take a break, please!" he said, almost sounding… sincere? Caring? Would those even be the right words to use at this moment in time?

He moved closer and closer. He was right at her feet now, almost touching them... She turned the page of her text book.

**_A counter-spell is a type of spell where the primary effect is to inhibit, remove or negate the effects of another spell_**

She was again jerked out of her 'revision world' when a hand was put on her shoulder.

"Plus, you'll get to spend more quality time with little old me."

Lily then snapped her book shut, gathered up her things and made her way towards the door.

"Wh-where's she going?" Black all but yelled.

"Library of course" said Marlene. "She's probably going to find Snape while she's at it."

Amazingly, as long as she lived, Lily Evans could never remember hearing any form of protest from the raven haired, hazel eyed, Quidditch playing toe-rag of a boy sitting at her feet on the sofa as she climbed out of the Fat Lady's portrait and headed off to the library. Nor did she remember him trying to stop her.

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_**Hope you enjoyed that. Please feel free to leave a review for me. It only takes two seconds and makes me motivated to write more, which is always good :-)**_


	2. What's in a name?

**Hello again! New chapter coming up!**

**Just to reiterate, if you don't see me for a while, I have NOT abandoned you, I'd just be very busy, and I have less and less time to write than I used to. **

**I do not own Harry Potter, or any other sources I have used. (I don't want to give the game away, and you'll see why in a minute)**

**Enjoy!**

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"What's in a name?"

49… 47… 45…

He decided that to be honest, Cokeworth was a pretty ordinary place. All the houses were ordinary, the streets were ordinary, even the cars (which to his Pureblood eyes were normally fascinating) were ordinary in that street. But nonetheless, he carried on walking because he had to; because he knew that if he walked that little bit further down the street, he would meet a house holding a beautiful princess, that he felt sure, even if it was for a short time, needed rescuing.

43… 41… 39… 37…

35.

This one was it; another ordinary house with an ordinary dark-green painted door like the rest of them. Now the boy really didn't know what to do. He had never been in a Muggle area before, and it wasn't as if he could use magic to grab her attention. There was then a familiar flap of wings making him turn his head towards a bird – more specifically, an owl - fly over his head into the night. And what immediately followed was the shutting of a window on the top left corner of the house that had light coming through it. He let out a little smirk. Picking up some gravel from the drive-through, he threw it towards the window; once, twice, thrice. For a while, he thought he'd either got the wrong window, or she had left. A minute later though, he saw her slide the window open as far as she could and look out.

"I'm ok, I just thought I heard something on my window…. There's no-one here though…. Yeah, right, don't get your hopes up!"

"Lily, who are you talking to?"

"I'll call you back…"

He saw that she had been holding something odd in one of her hands, about the same size as a brick and was now pressing something on the brick and putting it down on her desk or the floor (he wasn't sure). She had her whole head out of the window now, red hair all over her face like a curtain.

"James? Where are you? What are you doing here?"

"But soft!" he said, "What light through yonder window breaks! It is the east, and Juliet is the Sun!"

"James, seriously, come out! I'm not in the mood for you playing around with me now so wherever you are, show yourself!"

He moved out of the background to in the light where she could finally see him. Lily's face froze when her eyes fell upon her almost-sworn enemy standing **right there ****_in her garden!_**

"So I wasn't making it up!" she whispered.

"She speaks! O speak again bright angel!"

She laughed. "What's with all the Shakespeare?"

James smiled. "I don't know. Sort of came to mind I guess. May thou come down and so let my hand be the glove that might'st touch that cheek?"

"Are you crazy? What are you even doing here? If my Dad finds you, he'll bury both of us under the patio! And that's if my sister doesn't get there first!"

"Find me, you kidding? Stealth is my middle name," said James, puffing his chest out. Lily rolled his eyes and gave a little snort of laughter. He smiled, not the cocky grin, Lily could see, but a genuine one.

"And I came," said James "Because I missed you. I wanted to see you again."

For a few seconds, there was silence between the couple. James tried so hard to keep that smile, but it was so hard when Lily was looking at him as she didn't even recognise him! Her face was not a complete picture of surprise, but he knew her well enough to know when it was there or not. Her mouth would only open a little, her eyes would become more turquoise than green, a faint blush would sweep across her cheeks and her hand would tuck a strand of that gorgeous red-wine hair. James thought it was absolutely adorable. She then held up her hand, and before James could register what was happening, she had shut her window, turned her light off and left the room! His heart sank. He knew it was all folly. It was no use. She wasn't going to let him talk to her and he had just made a complete ass of himself – again. Whenever he talked to any other girl, he was always calm and knew exactly what he was saying. With Lily though, it was the complete opposite of that! He would get incredibly nervous, butterflies playing with his insides, _(since when do guys get butterflies!) _and so, he'd always act like a complete cocky bastard in front of her, and even hurt her! It was no wonder really that she turned him down all the time…

"James"

It was only a whisper, but he heard it alright.

Now that she was outside, Lily managed to look at him properly. He had shot up **again** since she had last seen him, which she'd sworn was only 2 weeks ago! His black hair was just as messy and his glasses were just as lopsided as usual. He was wearing jeans, trainers and a t-shirt that, even she had to admit, worked very well in his favour. Lily pulled up her tights and down the hem of her skirt.

"I thought you'd abandon me."

"I was considering it, but that'd just be rude."

He laughed.

"So, errm," she said after a while "You said you missed me?"

"Yes I did."

"Why?"

"I-I'm sorry? What?"

"Why me James? Why not any other girl who's perhaps prettier and more friendly to you than me?"

James went a bit red. Taking Lily's hand and giving it a squeeze, he whispered: "Because they're not you. They don't have your personality or flaws. And they're certainly not as beautiful as you." He took a deep breath "Lily, to be honest, I completely get why you don't like me that much. I've been a dick to you. I'm sorry."

Lily squeezed his hand back. "No James, I should be the one who's sorry. I've been blind to the real you. I think you're actually a nice guy."

He could tell though that she was holding something back. Her quiet voice sounded tight.

"What's wrong?"

"Can I tell you something?"

"You already have. But go ahead."

"I'm terrified."

"About the war? You don't have to be scared of telling me that. I am too you know."

"I know, but it's not about that! I'm scared of going out with you! I have come to the realisation since we left that I really do like you, I like you a lot actually. But you're James Potter. you're the one person who I swore I would hate for the rest of my life and there's a part of me that's struggling to even admit that you're like this and the other part is telling me that you're just going to get rid of me like everyone else. Say like 'I won! I finally went out with Lily Evans' and then dump me the next day. And then on top of that, I'm a Muggle-born and you're a Potter! It couldn't work now-"

"Yes it could!" Without thinking, James hugged her tight.

"I'm sorry," he said, when they pulled apart and his hands were cupping her face; though her head was bent. "I'm sorry for being such a git; I'm sorry for ever giving you any impression like that or for ever making you think like that. Because you mean so much more to me than that! As for my name, stuff it! I don't care because I am in love with you Lily! You're gorgeous! Don't you realise that?"

He felt, rather than saw her smile.

"Well, O gentle Romeo," she whispered, leaning her head up a little so that he finally saw her radiant smile, "If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully."

"I love you Lily Evans! I really do."

James could wait any longer and leaned in to kiss her forehead…

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"PRONGS!"

James woke up with a start. In front of him, there was no fair maiden with red locks, but Sirius Black with only a pair of boxers to cover his glory and grinning from ear to ear, standing at the end of his bed. He inwardly groaned.

"About time you got up mate!"

"What time is it?" he croaked.

"Half 8. Moony and Wormtail went down for breakfast half an hour ago." Sirius' grin got even bigger. "Oh and you fell asleep with this on your face. _'Romeo and Juliet' _Why you were reading such crap I have no idea!"

"Lily gave it to me. She said I should become more acquainted with Muggle literature."

Sirius roared with laughter. "I should have known! The things you do for that girl!"

"Yeah, yeah. Now piss off Padfoot and put some clothes on please!"

As soon as Sirius left to the bathroom to get changed (sniggering all the way) James let out a loud groan and fell back on his bed.

"Somehow" he thought. "Someday, somewhere."

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_**I hope you enjoyed that. If you noticed, I also got bits from Gnomeo and Juliet (which was either that or my Romeo and Juliet Classic FM CD (or both) that gave me the idea for this) and also West Side Story. If you have any suggestions for one-shots (whether for this series or not) let me know and I'll see what I can do. **_


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